


Old Bard, New Tricks

by The_Maddest_Of_Hatters



Series: Origins [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-07
Updated: 2016-04-24
Packaged: 2018-05-31 20:23:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6486181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Maddest_Of_Hatters/pseuds/The_Maddest_Of_Hatters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We all know that Leliana's a pretty good companion. But what were to happen if it was a little different? What would it be like if Leliana was a Grey Warden herself?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

!

Leliana stood in a small tavern in Lothering, waiting for some sort of sign from the Maker himself. Her last dream had been rather vague compared to the others she'd had, but she distinctly remembered this place standing out as somewhere she needed to be.

She thought back to what little she could interpret from the dream.

...A sign with the small village's name on it...

...Two sets of armour, silver and gold...

...A thunderous sound, like the marching of a thousand hellish nightmares...

...Eyes, yellow and catlike, standing out from the darkness...

But the young bard knew nothing of what any of this meant. So she sat, sipping a small cup of water by the fire, waiting for the answers to come to her, as they usually did.

Well, except for the fact they never came in such a literal sense.

!

A man walked in just then, black hair tied back, and a beard that looked to have been trimmed neatly. Following him was another man, with long, fair looking blond hair, with a slight bit of stubble. He was accompanied on either side by armed guards.

What struck Leliana most about the two was their armour.

...Two sets of armour, silver and gold...

Leliana jumped from her seat and practically ran to the two.

"Excuse me sirs!" She started, nearly tripping over her chantry robes.

Immediately, the two guards drew their swords, ready to strike.

The man with the golden armour laughed, and waived them off. They put their weapons away, but eyed Leliana with wary looks.

"Hello, Madame! King Cailan, at your service." The man, Cailan, nodded his head to her. She immediately bowed, embarrassed. Here he was, the king of Ferelden, and she'd made a fool of herself already.

"My companion over there is a Grey Warden. His name's Duncan."

She bowed again to Duncan, and he met her with a kind smile, before speaking.

"What do you need, child?"

She straightened up, looking him in the eyes.

"I. I-I do not know what sort of quest you are on. But I need to be a part of it, Ser Duncan." Leliana tried to sound confident, at least.

Duncan looked her over quizzically.

"And just how do you know we're on a quest?" He asked, crossing his arms.

Leliana swallowed, her hands growing sweaty.

"You will think me insane, but I. The Maker showed me. In a vision."

Both men looked surprised, and the guards drew their swords once more.

"Do you truly believe this, miss..?" Duncan asked, seemingly staring into the woman's soul.

Leliana's gaze became steel. "Leliana. And I do. More than anything."

Duncan's face softened at that, and he smiled once again.

"Well, you may be right, or you may be touched in the head. Either way, we do need more Grey Wardens to fight off the darkspawn at Ostagar. What say you? How are your fighting skills?"

Leliana beamed. "I accept! Don't worry about me, I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

"Very well. Head south, to Ostagar. You'll make a fine Grey Warden, Leliana."

!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Leliana gets closer to becoming a Grey Warden.

!

She arrived at Ostagar, the massive castle ruins much different than the warm walls of the Chantry. It looked like it had seen many battles, yet had so many more to come.

She went through the stone arch, and found Duncan once more, talking to a young elf mage.

The mage had long, dark hair, and piercing blue eyes that seemed to follow her every move.

"Ser. It's good to see you again." Leliana said, looking down at her feet nervously.

"You mustn't be nervous, Leliana. As I said. You'll make a fine Grey Warden." He said kindly, turning to her.

"Now then. This is one of your fellow initiates, Xavier Surana. Xavier, this is Leliana."

Xavier looked Leliana up and down. She seemed to be small and unassuming. He scoffed.

"A pleasure." Xavier said sarcastically.

"Nice to meet you." Leliana said, not sure how to respond.

"If you don't mind, girl, Duncan and I were discussing something very important." He said, turning his back to her.

Leliana thought back to when she was a bard, and how she would've stabbed him the second his back was turned.

She shook her head to clear those thoughts. She would be fighting alongside him soon enough, and now was not the time to judge.

Duncan gave her an apologetic smile, which she returned, then went back to whatever discussion he was having with Xavier.

Leliana decided, in the meantime, to explore the camp a bit more.

!

Leliana wandered through another stone archway, and up a small incline, following the path of apparent arguing.

"Haven't the Grey Wardens asked enough of the Circle?" An average looking mage asked another apparent Grey Warden.

"I've been sent by the Revered Mother to seek you out, Ser Mage." The Warden responded.

"What her Reverence "desires" is of no concern to me. I am here helping the Grey Wardens by the king's orders I might add." The mage responded indignantly.

"Should I have asked her to write a note, then?" The Warden responded sarcastically, a smirk on his face.

That only seemed to make the mage angrier.

"Tell her I will not be harassed in this manner!"

The Warden scoffed.

"Yes. I was harassing you bydelivering a message" he replied.

"Your glibness does you no credit."

"Here I thought we were getting along so well! I was even going to name one of my children after you...the grumpy one."

Leliana chuckled at that.

"I will speak to her if I must. Get out of my way, fool." And with that, the mage walked away.

The Grey Warden noticed Leliana's presence and walked over to her.

"You know, one good thing about the Blight is how it brings people together." He told her sarcastically.

Leliana laughed, and thought back to Xavier from moments ago.

"I know exactly what you mean."

"It's like a party! We could all get together and hold hands! That'd give the darkspawn something to think about, wouldn't it?" He looked away, pretending to be wistful about the idea.

"Where are my manners? My name's Alistair. You're not a mage, are you? I seem to be striking out with them lately. I do wonder why." He asked with a genuine smile.

Leliana laughed again. She liked this man.

"No, I'm no mage. I come from Lothering. My name's Leliana. I'm here to become a Grey Warden." They shook hands.

"I remember Duncan talking about you. The recruit from Lothering who has visions. I should've recognized you sooner, I apologize." He said seriously.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all." Leliana replied.

"Well, as the junior member of the Grey Wardens, I'll be accompanying you and your fellow initiates when you prepare for The Joining." He told her.

"The Joining? Is that some sort of initiation?" Leliana asked.

"Of sorts, yes. Whenever you're ready to get started, let's return to Duncan. I'm sure he's ready by now." Alistair replied.

With a nod of her head to confirm that she was ready, the two set off through the camp.

!

On their way back, the duo was stopped by a soldier near the kennels.

"Excuse me, miss, but could you help me out? One of the Mabari ingested some darkspawn blood. I'd ask his owner, but he died in combat not too long ago." The soldier, apparently the Kennel Master, asked.

Leliana nodded her head.

"Of course. What do you need me to do?"

The Kennel Master handed her a muzzle.

"I just need you to put this on him so that I can apply some medicine."

He opened the kennel door for her, and she made her way inside.

She was immediately cornered by a massive looking Mabari. Over the fence of the kennel, Alistair drew his sword, prepared to go in and defend her.

Leliana locked eyes with him and shook her head. She then returned to the animal, who seemed to be analyzing her.

Tentatively, Leliana reached her hand out for the hound to sniff. He inched closer towards her, growling if she made any moves. He sniffed her hand suspiciously.

After a few tense moments, the Mabari rubbed his head against her hand, and she began to soothingly pet his head.

Leliana took a closer look at the dog. It seemed to be in a lot of pain, and had dark marks slashing up and down it's fur.

She bent down, and began to talk to the Mabari.

"Hello, friend. I know that this will be a bit uncomfortable, but I have to put this muzzle on you so that the nice man outside can give you some medicine. I know medicine isn't fun to take, but I promise it will make you feel better." She said soothingly.

The Mabari whimpered, but put his face in her hands, allowing her to put the muzzle on him with no complaint.

"Thank you. We will have you feeling better in no time, I'm sure of it!" She said enthusiastically. The hound barked and wagged his tail feebly.

Upon exiting the kennel, the Kennel Master spoke to her.

"Thank you. Do you mind if I ask just a bit more of you?"

"Of course not. What do you need?"

"Well, if you're going out into the Wilds, there's a flower, it's white with a blood red center. I need it for a medicine to help the Mabari. Would you get it for me?" He asked her.

"Sure! I'll keep an eye out for it if I go out."

"Excellent! You know, he quite likes you. Come see me after the fight, and we'll see about imprinting him onto you." The Kennel Master said cheerfully.

Leliana nodded her head, and she and Alistair headed for Duncan once more.

!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there it is! I won't always update so quickly, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless. Also, I'm still getting used to AO3, so bear with me, I'm gonna screw up eventually. See you in the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leliana and friends venture into the Wilds.

Alistair and Leliana walked up to a massive fire blazing in the middle of camp. Duncan stood with his back to it, facing the other Grey Warden initiates. There were three, not counting Leliana. Two she didn't recognize, and Xavier.

Duncan nodded to the two.

"Good. You're here. Now we may begin. That is, if you're done harassing mages, Alistair?"

Alistair looked at Duncan sheepishly.

"My apologies, but the Revered Mother cornered me. With the way she wields guilt, they should stick her in the army."

Duncan sighed.

"She forced you to sass the mage, did she? We cannot afford to antagonize anyone, Alistair. We don't need to give anyone more ammunition against us." He told him sternly, as a father would while scolding a child.

Alistair sighed.

"I apologize, Duncan. I brought our last recruit." He motioned to Leliana.

"Leliana, this is Ser Jory, a knight from Redcliffe." He motioned to the taller, rounder man next to her.

"How do you do?" He asked, nodding to her. She waved.

Alistair turned to the thinner initiate, who had a light coat of stubble on his face.

"And this is Daveth, a...fellow...from Denerim." He stated.

"Yep. That's me. I'm a fellow." Daveth said, waving to her. She returned the gesture once more.

"And I've heard you met Xavier already."

The elf pointedly ignored her, and she once again thought how nice his face might look with a dagger sticking out of it.

She tuned in to Duncan, shaking off her thoughts once more.

"Now then. Since you're here, we can all begin. You five will be heading into the Korcari Wilds to perform two tasks. The first is to obtain four vials of darkspawn blood, to be used in The Joining. One for each recruit. The second" he started, turning to Alistair.

"There's an old Grey Warden outpost in the Wilds. They contain documents that we will need. They should be protected by magic, in a chest somewhere in the ruins."

He turned back to the initiates.

The documents contain treaties we can use in the days to come. Now then, any questions?" He asked.

They all shook their heads.

"Good. Be on your way then."

!

The five wandered through the Wilds, their blades dripping with blood from the wolf pack they had just dispatched of.

"So. You're a fellow?" Leliana joked with Daveth.

He smiled. "Alistair doesn't really like me. I think it's the way we first met."

Upon seeing Leliana's quizzical look, he continued.

"I was a thief back in Denerim. Fastest one in the bloody city. I'd cut the purse off of Duncan, and ran with it. The guards caught me, and we're right about to lead me to the garrison, when Duncan stepped in. He used the Right of Conscription and freed me. Gave those guards the finger on the way out." He chuckled.

Leliana laughed as well. She turned to Ser Jory.

"What about you?" She asked him.

"I have a wife and daughter back in Redcliffe. I figured the best way to defend them from this Blight would be to stop it here." He replied.

"That's quite noble of you. I look forward to fighting at your side." Leliana told him.

!

The five walked a small distance, until they came across a wounded soldier.

"Just leave him here! He is of no use to us." Xavier said. Alistair glared at him before bending down to talk to the man.

"What happened?"

The soldier coughed up a bit of blood, holding his stomach.

"My...my scouting party was attacked by darkspawn. They. They came out of nowhere!" He wheezed out.

Leliana knelt next to him. "If I patch you up, do you think you could make it to Ostagar? It's just a small distance."

The man was silent for a moment, then nodded.

Leliana moved his hands gently from his stomach. He seemed to have been caught by an arrow, yet it stopped any internal bleeding he might have had. She opted to keep the arrow in place until he got to a healer, and got to work on the area around it.

Leliana pulled a lesser health poultice from her pack, pouring it onto some bandages and wrapping the bandages around the wound, being mindful of the arrow.

When she was done, she helped the soldier to his feet.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, her hand on his back.

"Better. I should be able to make it. Thank you." He smiled at her, and slowly made his way back.

"That was a waste of supplies, you stupid human!" Xavier said scornfully.

"It is never a waste to save someone's life. That is what the Chantry teaches, and that is what being a Grey Warden is all about." Leliana replied evenly.

Alistair nodded his approval.

Ser Jory suddenly stopped and put his head in his hands.

"He said they came out of nowhere! How are we supposed to fight things we can't even see?" He panicked.

Alistair sighed. "That's the reason I'm here. Once you go through The Joining, you can sense darkspawn. None of them are going to sneak up on us, I assure you." He tried to soothe them.

Daveth looked to Jory. "That's right. We'll be able to feel our death coming." He patted Jory's back reassuringly.

Jory's face went pale, and he said nothing more. Leliana sighed, and turned to the path.

That's when she spotted the flower. It was exactly how the Kennel Master had described it, white with a blood red center. She rushed over and picked it immediately, placing it in it's own compartment in her pack.

Xavier snorted. "Exactly like a woman to be picking flowers instead of finishing the mission."

Leliana furrowed her brow. "I told the Kennel Master that I'd find this flower so he can use it in a medicine for one of the Mabari."

Xavier's mouth opened to reply, but Alistair cut him off.

"That's very nice of you Leliana. Now then, let's go, yeah?" He rushed out, walking further into the Wilds.

Leliana followed close behind, not wanting to start an argument with the mage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope ya liked it! I'd love to hear some feedback!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Swooping is bad."

There! That's the Grey Warden camp!" Alistair yelled, pointing to a massive set of ruins.

Leliana put her foot to the chest of the Glenlock Emissary she'd just killed, using it as leverage to rip her dagger out of it's chest. She pulled a vial from her pack and let the blood from her dagger drip into the vial. She then caught up to Alistair, who was searching through a broken chest.

"They're not here! Where could they be?" He asked exasperatedly to no one in particular.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" A voice drifted from slightly above them to their ears.

Leliana turned, and was met with a sight as beautiful as Andraste herself.

It was a woman, wearing a rather revealing choice of clothing. She had robes that only covered her breasts, leaving a large gap in the middle, sides, and back, revealing smooth, porcelain skin. She wore a black leather skirt and boots, and had her hair up, save for her bangs, that brushed into her eyes ever so slightly.

Her eyes...

...Eyes, yellow and catlike, standing out from the darkness...

Leliana gasped inaudibly.

The mysterious woman walked down the staircase she started on.

"Are you a scavenger, I wonder? A vulture, picking at a corpse who's bones have long since been picked clean?"

She walked closer to Leliana, locking eyes with her. The bard shivered under her gaze.

"Or an intruder, come into these darkspawn-filled Wilds of mine in search of easy prey?"

She stopped, a few feet away from Leliana.

"What say you, hmm? Scavenger or intruder?"

Leliana opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by Xavier.

"Stay back, witch! We want nothing to do with you!" He snarled, pushing Leliana out of the way.

She stumbled to the ground, and the woman's eyes followed her, before turning to glare at the elf.

"I don't recall asking you, elf. I remember asking the more intelligent looking member of your group."

Xavier blushed in embarrassment, and stepped back. Leliana got up to her feet, and looked at the woman once more, dusting herself off.

"We are neither. We are Grey Wardens. This tower belonged to us, and we've come to find something of importance." Leliana said as evenly as she could.

The woman's mouth formed a smirk.

"'Tis a tower no longer, my dear. This desiccated corpse has been claimed back by the Wilds ages ago." She walked away from the group, still speaking.

"I have watched your progress for some time. 'Why are they here?' I wondered. 'What do they seek?'" She turned once more to the Wardens.

"And now, you disturb ashes none have touched for so long. Why is that?" She once again looked at Leliana.

Alistair brought Leliana back to him with a hand to her shoulder.

"Don't listen to her. She looks Chasind, and that means there are others nearby-"

"You fear barbarians swooping down upon you?" The woman asked, throwing her hands up in the air exaggeratedly.

Alistair looked at her suspiciously.

"Yes. Swooping is bad."

Daveth looked at him

"She's the Witch of the Wilds, she is. She'll turn us into toads!" He was clearly panicking.

The woman laughed.

"Witch of the Wilds? Such idle fantasies. Have you no minds of your own?"

She spoke directly to Leliana.

"You there. You do not look like the rest of these frightened little boys. Tell me your name and I shall tell you mine." She all but commanded.

Leliana summoned all of her courage.

"My name is Leliana, Madame. It is a pleasure to meet you." Leliana said politely, bowing slightly.

"Now that is a proper civil greeting, even here in the Wilds. The pleasure is mine, Leliana. You may call me Morrigan." The woman, Morrigan, gave a small now in return.

She addressed the group.

"Shall I guess your purpose? You were searching that chest for something of importance? Something that is here no longer?" She asked knowingly.

"Here no longer? You stole them, didn't you? You're some kind of...sneaky...witch-thief!" Alistair accused.

Morrigan chuckled.

"How very eloquent. How does one steal from dead men?" She asked him.

"Quite easily, it seems. Those documents are Grey Warden property, and I suggest you return them." Alistair threatened.

Morrigan's patience appeared to be wearing thin.

"I will not. 'Twas not I who took them. Invoke a name that means nothing here, if you wish. I am not threatened."

Xavier started up again.

"Then who removed them, woman?" He spat.

Morrigan wasn't fazed.

"'Twas my mother, in fact."

Xavier seemed to deflate.

"Your mother?"

"Yes, my mother. Did you assume I spawned from a log?" She asked, pacing.

"A thieving, weird talking log, perhaps." Alistair jabbed.

"Not all that grows in the Wilds is bad. Flowers grow, as well as toads." She looked into the Wilds wistfully, before turning once again to Leliana.

"I will take you to my mother, if you wish. 'Tis not far from here, and you may ask her for your papers, if you wish."

Alistair looked at the bard.

"We should get those papers. We need them. But I dislike the sudden appearance of this, Morrigan, character."

Leliana turned to Morrigan once more. She seemed to be slightly irritated that they were talking about her like she wasn't there.

"I. I think I trust her. If she wished us harm, I have no doubt that she would've struck us down by now. She seems more than capable of such."

Morrigan smiled approvingly.

"Come along, then. 'Tis this way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all liked it!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Grey Warden Treaties are found

"The group walked a short distance, then made it to a small hut, where an old woman stood outside.

"Greetings, mother. I bring before you five Grey Wardens who-"

"I see who they are, child." She looked at the Wardens.

"Hmm. Much as I expected."

Alistair laughed incredulously. "Are we supposed to believe you were expecting us?" He asked.

The woman looked at him. "You are required to believe nothing. Shut one's eyes tight, open one's arms wide; either way, one's a fool!" She spoke mystically.

"She's a witch, she is. We shouldn't be talking to her!" Daveth whisper-yelled. Jory smacked him upside the head.

"Quiet, Daveth! If she's a witch, do you really want to make her mad?" He said back.

"There's a smart lad. Sadly irrelevant to the larger scheme of things, but still. Believe what you will." The woman walked closer to Leliana, whom everyone seemed to be cowered behind.

"What about you? You seem to be the leader here. Does that give you a different viewpoint? What do you believe?"

Leliana chose her next words carefully.

"I. I do not know what to believe, Madame."

"A statement that shows more wisdom than you think. Be always aware. Or is it oblivious? I can never remember."

She went on. "So much of you seems to be shrouded in mystery. And yet, I believe. Do I? It seems I do." She spoke more to herself than to anyone.

Alistair cut in nervously. "Soooo. This is a dreaded Witch of the Wilds?" He asked.

"Witch of the Wilds, eh? Morrigan must've told you that. She does love her fantasies. Oh how she dances under the moon!" The woman laughed, and Morrigan ducked her head in embarrassment.

Leliana had an image of herself and Morrigan intrude into her thoughts suddenly, of waltzing under the moonlight, their lips inches from one another's, reaching closer and closer until-

"They did not come to hear such wild tales, mother." Morrigan cut in.

"True. They came for their treaties. And before you go barking about how I stole them, your precious seals wore off long ago. I have protected these." She said, handing the documents to Leliana, who seemed to be the only one brave enough to maintain a close distance with the woman.

"You!...oh. You protected them?" Alistair asked.

"And why not? Take them back to your camp and tell you armies that this Blight's threat is greater than they realize!" The woman spoke seriously.

"Thank you for returning them, Madame." Leliana said, nodding her head.

"Such manners! And always in the last place you'd look. Like stockings." The woman again seemed to speak to herself. The initiates gave her strange looks, which she noticed.

"Oh. Do not mind me." She laughed.

"There. You have what you came for. Now you may go." Morrigan said.

The woman seemed to sober up at that. "Do not be ridiculous, child. These are your guests." She scolded.

"Very well. I will show you out of the woods. Follow me." She sighed.

And with that, the group set off back to camp.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the ritual FINALLY begins

As Leliana and her party followed Morrigan out of the Wilds, the rogue wanted to talk to the witch more than she thought was acceptable for someone she's just met.

However, she kept her mouth shut for two reasons, the first being the men still walking three steps behind the women, afraid that they were to be made into Grey Warden stew, and the second being the most likely outcome of attempting a conversation with Morrigan, being cut down with the Witch's sharp tongue.

So for the next thirty or so minutes, the two women walked side by side, Leliana stealing glimpses of the paler woman when she thought it was safe.

Morrigan, on the other hand, knew that the fiery headed woman wanted her, even if she herself didn't realize it. She may have grown up away from society, but she recognized the look in the woman's eyes.

At least, she thought she did.

She'd seen a similar look in the men Flemeth would bring home. The lust in their eyes was evident, and every time, it unnerved her. The animalistic look they'd had, looking at Morrigan like a piece of meat...

Then the witch looked again.

It wasn't lust.

The bard's smitten with me.

That, arguably, scared Morrigan worse than her previous thoughts, thought she'd never admit it.

!

Morrigan escorted the Grey Wardens as close to Ostagar as she dated to venture, then turned to them.

"Well. 'Tis sad to see you all leave so soon" she started sarcastically.

"But I think I shall manage. Farewell." She looked into the bard's eyes one last time, drawn to her for some reason.

Whatever the reason, she did not like it one bit.

The witch quickly turned on her heels and disappeared, literally, into the Korcari Wilds.

While most of the other Grey Wardens went back into camp, Leliana watched her go, missing Morrigan's cold presence.

Behind her, Xavier sneered.

"Miss your pretty witch, human?" He asked her mockingly.

She whirled around. "Are we acting like children, now? I'm sorry, I must not have received the message." Leliana answered him, feigning innocence.

He scoffed, and walked away, leaving the rogue to her thoughts.

She gave the area Morrigan had disappeared into one last wistful glance, and walked inside.

!

Once Leliana was back inside, she made her way back to the Kennel Master.

"Is this the flower you wished for?" She asked, reaching into her pack and holding it out to him.

The man's face lit up, and he eagerly, but politely, took the flower from her.

"This is exactly what I need! Thank you! As I said, if you'll come by the kennels after the battle, we'll see about imprinting the tough little pup onto you!" He said to her, already beginning to grind the flower into a sweet-smelling paste.

Leliana smiled politely, nodded, and went over to the mages, who had started to prepare for the upcoming fight.

She noticed one that seemed to be in charge, an older woman with white hair who directed the mages strictly, but with a caring undertone.

"Hello? May I have a moment of your time?" Leliana asked the woman.

Immediately, she turned to the younger girl, a genuine smile spreading across her face.

"Hello, young one! Of course." The woman said kindly, waving for one of the other mages to take over.

"Thank you, Madame. My name is Leliana, and I'm one of the new Grey Warden initiates. I was wondering what your mages were doing earlier?" Leliana asked.

"Pleased to meet you, Leliana. I am Wynne. And our mages were contacting the Fade to see how far along this darkspawn horde was." Wynne answered gracefully.

"So the darkspawn are connected to the Fade?"

Wynne nodded her head.

"Not much is known about how the darkspawn are made, but according to the Chantry-"

"It happened when mages tried to enter the Black City." Leliana finished.

Wynne cocked a brow.

"I apologize for my rudeness, Madame. I worked for the Chantry for a number of years, and well, I paid attention." Leliana smiled, embarrassed.

"'Tis quite alright, child. But yes. Since they seem to have that connection with the Fade, we were hoping to see how much time Ostagar had to prepare." Wynne said with a polite smile.

Leliana nodded her head. "Thank you for satisfying my curiosity, Madame."

"Please, call me Wynne. Madame makes me sound old!" She responded gently.

"Fair enough. Well, Wynne, I bid thee farewell for now. I thank you for the talk, though." Leliana closed the conversation.

"Of course, dear. Anytime. It's always nice to talk to a curious young thing."

Leliana smiled once more before heading off to find the Grey Wardens.

!

Leliana found them in the same ruins she found Alistair hours ago. They were almost ready to begin The Joining.

"It's about time you showed up, human." Xavier spat.

Leliana looked at him, not glared, just looked. She found that if you stared at someone long enough, it made them more uncomfortable than a simple glare.

After a few seconds under Leliana's blank gaze, it worked, and Xavier began squirming under stare. A few more seconds went by, and Leliana looked away, satisfied.

"Let's begin." Duncan clapped his hands together, looking at the initiates.

"Do you all have your vials?" He asked.

They all produced their blood, and he emptied them into a...chalice?

Leliana felt her stomach tie itself in knots.

We're not going to drink this, she thought to herself.

Are we?

Duncan then produces two vials from his armor: one Leliana recognized as Lyrium from her time around the Templars, and another that was a few shades darker than the black cherry red that was the darkspawn blood.

Alistair noticed the confusion on Leliana's face, and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Archdemon blood."

She shivered imperceptibly.

When Duncan was finished mixing the vile draught, he held it in both hands, and turned to the recruits.

"Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten. And that one day, we shall join you." Duncan finished his speech, and gave the chalice to Daveth, motioning for him to drink.

Daveth took a deep breath, and took a long sip from the silver chalice, handing it back to Duncan with a grimace. He seemed fine.

For the first couple of seconds, that is.

The next thing Leliana knew, Daveth was on the ground, clutching his neck and coughing uncontrollably. He seemed to be taking in huge gulps of air, yet unable to take in enough to live.

After a few agonizing moments of watching him writhe on the ground, the light in his eyes dimmed, and he was still.

Alistair kneeled down and put two fingers to the side of his neck.

His face contorted into a grim frown, and he looked up to Duncan.

With a shake of his head, he confirmed what everyone already knew.

Duncan turned to Ser Jory as if nothing happened, offering him the chalice.

"Are you insane?!" He cried, backing up from it.

"I have a wife and child!" He continued to back up. Duncan placed the chalice back onto the table. He approached the panicking man, his face a mask of calm.

"I need to live!" He drew his sword, pointing it at the advancing Grey Warden

Duncan unsheathed his own sword, and in one quick motion, buried it deep into the man's stomach, looking him in the eye as he did so.

When he was sure the man was dead, he slid him off of his sword, letting the body drop to the ground.

"The Joining must be kept secret." He said simply. He then turned to Xavier and Leliana.

"I am sorry. But this is the way it must be. You either join or die. This is the point of no return." He ended grimly.

Duncan went to the table and took the chalice once again. He offered it to Xavier.

"Doesn't look like I have much of a choice, now, do I?" He said sarcastically before taking the chalice.

The elf mage took a large mouthful of it, tears forming in his eyes as he swallowed it after a bit of a struggle.

He too, fell to the ground choking. Then, after a few moments, he lay still, his eyes closed.

Leliana figured him to be dead, and she felt bad that the few times they spoke were on such harsh terms.

Alistair again went to the still form, placing two fingers on his neck.

His face lit up, and he looked up to Ducan.

"He's alive!" Alistair exclaimed, and Leliana watched as Duncan's face seemed to age backwards.

"Thank the Maker. He'll be alright. For now. He needs to fight inside himself to survive. But he's okay for now."

He turned to Leliana, and offered her the chalice.

!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ritual is finally performed.

Chapter Seven

Hello again, ladies, gentlemen, and everyone in between and outside! I shall now gift you with yet another chapter! Hope you enjoy!

!

The taste is what Leliana initially noticed.

The mixture itself was cold, thanks to the Lyrium and long trek back to Ostagar, and that certainly didn't help Leliana choke it down, but the taste.

That was bad.

It tasted like blood and dirt and bile, and it burned Leliana's mouth, as cold as it may be. Blood and dirt and bile and...

Leather?

She forced it down her throat, rubbing her tongue along her teeth to get all of it out, and it burned down her throat, almost as if it were trying to claw its way back up.

She handed the chalice back to Duncan with shaky hands, and took a deep breath.

Or tried to, that is.

Leliana's throat was open, but it felt as if it had swollen shut. She took deep breaths, yet felt no satisfaction in the air flowing into her lungs.

She collapsed to the ground on her knees, one hand on the ground in front of her, the other clutching her throat.

Her vision dimmed, her mind went hazy, and everything went black.

!

Flashes of light.

A dragon, its hide a deep purple, breathing unnatural fire.

Marjolaine, her hands all over Leliana, whispering in her ear it's all right, my pretty thing.

Leather...

The smell of Marjolaine's leather armor as she took Leliana for the first time, the bard too drunk to fight back.

An image of the dragon burning down homes, leading an army of darkspawn, a path of destruction carved behind them.

The same smell of the torture chamber Leliana endured after Marjolaine's betrayal, leather with a hint of blood.

The darkspawn horde, marching steadily towards them, their bloodthirsty cries echoing into the night.

Lying broken and bloodied in a dark room in the back of the Chantry, praying for the Maker to kill her.

Black.

!

Leliana's vision slowly swam back into focus, and she saw three heads looking down at her.

She say up, rubbing her head and smacking her lips together.

Leather.

She shuddered, looking for something to wash the taste out with.

Alistair knew from his Joining what she'd need, and handed her a bottle of ale.

She smiled thankfully at him, standing up and uncorking the bottle, taking a mouthful of the sweet liquid and handing it back to him. Leliana swished the ale around her mouth, thoroughly ridding it of the horrible taste, before swallowing.

She then realized that she had a lot of energy. It was strange. It was almost midnight, yet Leliana felt energized. And hungry.

Duncan smiled, patting the two new Grey Wardens on the back.

"Congratulations. You are now officially Grey Wardens." He told them officially.

"How does it feel?" Alistair asked them evenly.

Xavier spoke first.

"It feels. Weird. Like I've aged a hundred years. And I can feel my magic buzzing under my skin, almost like angry insects." He said, scratching at his arms.

Leliana put a consoling hand on his back before she realized what she was doing, and she expected him to shake her off. Instead, he seemed to lean into her touch, smiling uneasily at her.

"What about you, hu-, Leliana?"

The bard smiled at the slightly shorter individual standing next to her. Then, she recalled the images flashing before her eyes, and the after taste that still seemed to linger, even after the ale.

"I can still feel the after taste in my mouth." She said, a hand going to her lips.

He chuckled.

"I understand. Lyrium isn't exactly renowned for its taste. I think it's the rocks from around the veins that give it that mineral-y taste." Xavier responded.

"Lyrium? I was talking about the after taste. Almost like I was gnawing on leather." She replied, puzzled.

"Leather? Are you sure your mind's okay?" Xavier looked at her head expectantly, as if it were about to explode.

"In a way, you're both right." Alistair's voice brought them back to earth. They looked at him.

He went on.

"The Lyrium is used to heighten your senses, which is why mages are more susceptible to it. Why it feels like there are insects under your skin." He motioned to Xavier.

"The darkspawn blood is used to connect you to the sort of hive mind that the darkspawn have, so that you can sense them." He walked over to the chalice, producing two amulets and pouring the remaining blood into them.

"But the Archdemon blood is different. More than a few drops can kill you instantly, but it is necessary, because you can't kill the Archdemon without having the blood inside of you. But because of this, the thing can get inside of your mind, and it knows your biggest fears and regrets, and your hopes and dreams. That's why the aftertaste always varies, and that's why it stays so long. Because memories of betrayal, or sorrow, or fear always seem to stay around longer. But the taste itself is something you both loved and hated, because that's what hurts the most." Alistair finished.

Leliana nodded. She understood.

Xavier, however, was having a harder time.

"So, what, does that mean I'm afraid of dwarves?" He asked, chuckling. Leliana laughed, as well, as the thought of two dwarves latched on to either one of the elf's legs came to mind.

Alistair smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"No, my friend. Not necessarily. It's more for your interpretation." He clarified.

Leliana cocked her head to the side.

"So what was the aftertaste for you, Alistair?" She asked.

Instead of answering, he thrusted the amulets at the two newest Grey Wardens.

"These are a way to remember those we lost tonight." He evaded the question, instead motioning to the bodies of Daveth and Ser Jory, who had been covered with white linens and moved to the back of the ruins.

"Two of you. We didn't lose that many in mine. Still wasn't really that pleasant." Alistair stared at the bodies for a little longer before walking away.

Leliana turned to Duncan, who had watched the display silently.

"What about you? What did it taste like?" She asked.

He chuckled. "You're a curious one, aren't you?"

He crossed his arms, and thought back to his own Joining.

"It tasted like smoke." He answered finally.

"Smoke?" Leliana repeated.

He nodded. "As a child, I grew up around war. My mother and father were both Ferelden soldiers, and died in the line of duty. I was left in an Orphanage that was attacked by the Tevinter and burned to the ground. When I was old enough to, I joined the Fereldan army, and my tent was close to the blacksmith's. Smoke always seemed to be pouring out of it, as the blacksmith's repaired armor and weaponry, and crafted new ones. Then, the Grey Wardens found me, and here we are." He finished.

Leliana's brows furrowed. She was confused.

"It sounds like you would just hate it, then." She said.

Duncan shook his head.

"It was something that made my armor stronger, and my blade more durable. It protected me through all of my battles. Yet it was the same thing that took my family away from me, and any home I tried to know, afterwards." He explained.

Upon seeing Leliana's astonished face, he wrapped up the conversation.

"It took me quite a few years to figure out why. For some, it takes only moments. For others, a lifetime. One of the perks of the duty." He chuckled, though there was no mirth within it.

Duncan walked out of the ruins, leaving the bard and the mage alone with one another.

Leliana took a deep breath, then turned to the elf.

"The Joining was brutal, no?" She started.

He nodded, looking as if he was biting back a snarky reply.

She went on, thankful for his lack of interruption.

"When you were laying on the ground, I felt...regret. Because ever since we've met each other, we haven't exactly been civil." Leliana thought back to all her thoughts of homicide towards Xavier.

"So, since we're both alive, I thought that, maybe, we could at least be civil?" She finished, extending a hand to the mage.

He looked at her hand, studying it for a few moments.

"You're alright." He said easily, shaking her hand.

"For a human, that is."

Leliana smiled at that, and the two walked out of the ruins together.

!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone! This is my attempt at a long Leliana x Morrigan romance fic. I'd love to hear some feedback on the first chapter, and I'll see you all lovelies at the bottom!


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